Donations needed for Holiday Lunch Bag Project

Organizers anticipate distributing as many as 300 holiday lunch bags

December 16, 2010|By MATTHEW UMSTEAD | martinsburg@herald-mail.com

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MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Organizers of a project to provide less fortunate children with food during Berkeley County Schools' winter break anticipate distributing as many as 300 holiday lunch bags this year.

Now in its third year, the Holiday Lunch Bag Project at the Boys & Girls Club in Martinsburg aims to help families with children who rely on the school system's free and reduced lunch program, according to Lane.

More than half of the children in Martinsburg's schools qualify for the lunch program, according to Lane, who teaches at Martinsburg South Middle School.

Food donations may be dropped off at the Boys & Girls Club at 105 W. John St., today and Monday and Tuesday through 7 p.m., and the bags of food will be distributed on Wednesday, Lane said.

Donations may be dropped off when the club opens at 2 p.m., except Tuesday, when Lane said she would be there at 11:30 a.m. to receive donations.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Wednesday, Chick-Fil-A is slated to provide lunch to children ages 18 and under who are participating in the holiday lunch bag project, Lane said.

Children also will able to visit the "cold weather clothing room" at the club, Lane said.

In addition to canned and boxed food items, volunteers organizing the event are accepting gift cards to purchase perishable food, Lane said. Donation of cold weather clothing also is welcomed.

Individuals interested in volunteering or wish to register a child for a holiday lunch bag project may contact the Boys & Girls Club in Martinsburg at 304-263-2696.

Monetary donations must be addressed to the Boys & Girls Club of the Eastern Panhandle - Martinsburg Berkeley County Unit and directed to benefit the project. They can be mailed to P.O. Box 1184, Martinsburg, WV 25402.